Facing the Difficulties of Breastfeeding

You don’t have to be a mother to know that breast feeding is the overwhelmingly preferred method of feeding your baby. OB experts and mothers who love it will tell you that children thrive when breastfed and that there is no more natural or healthy way for your baby to get the nutrients it needs than from your own milk. What many of those experts and moms don’t tell you is that breast feeding is incredibly difficult and frustrating for some women. Being determined to breast feed your baby is wonderful, but be prepared by known all of the difficulties you might encounter while breast feeding so you’re not caught unaware.

Many women have a tough time getting their baby to latch on to their nipple, which is obviously the fundamental first step of breast feeding. Start while you’re still in the hospital and request a lactation consultant to come help you. Nipple soreness is another problem that can become so severe that women decide they can’t continue with breast feeding. Help this by adjusting baby’s position while feeding to get as comfy as possible and insert your finger in the side of baby’s mouth to get them to unlatch before you remove them from your breast. Perhaps the biggest concern women have when breastfeeding is worrying that their baby isn’t getting enough to eat since they can’t measure the milk. Keep track by weighing baby to be sure growth is occurring. If you’re worried they’re not getting enough then see your doctor.